1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention includes methods and apparatus useful for the harvesting and sorting of aquatic life including various species of crabs using crab pots or traps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art methods for manipulating crab traps or pots include removing the crab pot from the sea with a lifting device such as a hydraulic operated line hauling winch and thereafter dumping the crab pot contents onto the deck of the harvester boat. The deckhands then sort the harvestable crabs from the catch and store them. The remainder of the catch including female, immature or incorrect species of crabs as well as some fish and other aquatic life is then returned to the sea by shovelling it over the gunwale, or sluicing it through the scuppers in the side of the boat. Frequently, the female crabs and immature crabs are injured in the process. In addition, the harvestable crabs scramble about the deck making their capture and confinement difficult. Occasionally harvestable crabs are lost overboard.